Marie Antoinette and her husband, Louis XVI, were no strangers to scandal during their reign as king and queen of France. One infamous incident that contributed to their downfall was the affair of the diamond necklace that Louis had commissioned for his mistress. However, what if moissanites had replaced the diamonds in the necklace? Could it have saved Marie and Louis from the fate that ultimately befell them?
First, let's take a closer look at the events leading up to the affair of the diamond necklace. In 1774, Louis XVI ascended to the throne and married Marie Antoinette, an Austrian princess. They were both young and inexperienced in matters of politics, which made them unpopular with the French people. Marie, in particular, was viewed as frivolous and extravagant, which did not endear her to the already disgruntled populace.
In 1785, a con artist named Jeanne de la Motte convinced Cardinal de Rohan, a prominent member of the court, that Marie Antoinette wanted him to purchase a diamond necklace worth 1.6 million livres. The necklace was commissioned from the jeweler Charles Auguste Boehmer, who had been trying to sell it to Queen Marie for some time. When Boehmer realized that the necklace was not going to be purchased by the queen, he agreed to sell it to Cardinal de Rohan, who believed he was doing so on behalf of the queen.
When the fraud was discovered, the scandal caused a public outcry. Marie Antoinette was blamed for the affair, even though she had nothing to do with it. The incident further damaged her already tarnished reputation, and it was one of the contributing factors to the French Revolution.
Now, let's consider what might have happened if moissanites had replaced the diamonds in the necklace. Moissanites are a synthetic gemstone that have similar physical properties to diamonds, but they cost significantly less. If Boehmer had used moissanites instead of diamonds, the necklace would have been much less expensive, and it's unlikely that Cardinal de Rohan would have been able to afford it. Without the scandal of the diamond necklace, Marie Antoinette's reputation might not have been further damaged, and it's possible that the French Revolution might not have occurred.
Of course, this is all speculation, and it's impossible to say for sure what might have happened if moissanites had been used in the necklace. However, it's interesting to consider how one small change could have had a significant impact on history.
